Raising turkey

[troutfisher13111]

Has anyone raised domestic turkey? I am curious how similar do they sound to wild turkey and if there is a breed that does it better?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Colton2020]

Hens sound the same to me but gobblers can sound a little different.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GobbleNut]

Haven't raised any turkeys, but have occasionally been around them enough to speculate here on the similarities and differences in vocalizations.  I agree with Colton that domestic hens, for the most part, sound very similar to wild turkeys,...that is, noting that, just like people, turkeys have varying voices.   

The gobbles of the domestic birds I have heard are distinctive from Easterns, Osceola's, and Rios, for sure, but are pretty close to Merriam's and Gould's,...and maybe a bit closer to Gould's than Merriam's in terms of cadence and pitch (slower and lower-pitched). 

As an aside to this discussion, it would be an interesting experiment here on OG to have sound files of turkey gobbles of the various subspecies and domestics and see how many members here could identify them....   

[310 gauge]

Not sure about the types of domestic Turkeys my Son has. I do know they have made him a better caller with his diaphragms by trying to mimic them, especially while they are content or during feeding time. I know the gobblers fire off at about anything I do by just fooling around with them. Still thankful for the hen that alarmed putted at the rabid fox that was charging to gnaw on my ankles like he did my Daughter-in-Law. I still scrounge for crickets and bugs for her when I go out to visit. 

[ferocious calls]

Have raised several varieties of turkeys. Eastern, meriam, rio, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, royal palm, black and bronze.
The domestic hens do alot more yodeling. Age can be a factor in a toms voice. As they age the gobbles become more like wild ones. Bourbon Red hens tend to be the most vocal. I have 2 that will sound off each time I walk out the door or when I call to them.

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I raised eastern wild turkey and domestic turkeys together once.  Typically the wild turkeys don't vocalize as loud or as much as domestics.  I do think working with domestic turkeys will help calling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk